Okay, let's talk about how I actually went about picking a name for a cleaning company. It sounds simple, but man, it took some real thought.

Getting Started: The Blank Page

So, first thing I did was just sit down with a notepad. Seriously, just paper and pen. I needed to get something down. The goal was clear: find a name for this new cleaning business I was trying to kick off. Easier said than done, right?

I just started writing words that popped into my head related to cleaning. Stuff like:

• Clean, Tidy, Spotless
• Sparkle, Shine, Gleam
• Home, House, Residential
• Pro, Expert, Premier
• Services, Solutions, Maids

Just a big jumble of words, really. Didn't filter anything at this stage, just let the ideas flow. Some were okay, some were pretty lame looking back.

Sorting Through the Mess

After I had a decent list, maybe 30 or 40 words and short phrases, I started trying to combine them or see which ones stood out. I wanted something that sounded trustworthy, you know? Like we actually know how to clean.

My main rules for filtering were:

• Has to be easy to remember and say. No tongue-twisters.
• Should hint at cleaning or home care. Pretty obvious, but important.
• Couldn't sound too generic, like a million other companies.
• Needed to sound professional, but maybe friendly too.

This helped me cross off a bunch. Some names were too long, some just didn't sound right when said aloud. I tried saying potential names out loud – you'd be surprised how different they sound compared to just reading them.

The Reality Check: Is it Available?

Okay, this part was a bit tedious. Once I had a shorter list, maybe 5 or 6 names I actually liked, I had to check if anyone else was already using them. This meant hopping online.

I mainly checked two things:

1. Business names: Did a quick search to see if other local companies had the same or very similar names. Didn't want any confusion or legal headaches later.
2. Online stuff: Looked for website domains and maybe social media handles. Even if I wasn't planning a big website immediately, I wanted the option later without having a weird, clunky name.

This knocked out a couple more favourites. It's frustrating when you think you've found the perfect name, and boom, someone else snagged it years ago.

Getting Some Outside Opinions

Down to just two or three names, I felt a bit stuck. They all seemed okay. So, I did what most people do – I asked around. Talked to my wife, a couple of friends, even mentioned them to a neighbour I trust.

Just casually asked, "Hey, if you were hiring a cleaner, which of these sounds better: Name A or Name B?" Didn't give them too much background, just wanted their gut reaction. It was helpful to see which ones people responded to positively or found easier to recall.

Making the Final Call

Based on my own gut feeling, the availability checks, and the feedback from others, one name just started to feel right. It ticked the boxes: easy to say, relevant, available, and had a decent sound to it.

So, I just went with it. Made the decision and stopped overthinking. Sometimes you just have to commit and move on to the next step of actually building the business.

It wasn't a super scientific process, more like trial and error. But going through these steps, from brainstorming freely to checking the practical stuff, definitely helped me land on a name I felt good about. Felt like a solid bit of groundwork done.